Help Please: Weight Vest: Back-Pack, Legs. Need experienced people please.

[PalmerT]

Hey,

I need some help here please.

My upper body is good but I want to work on three things.

1) Decrease the time of my 7 minute mile.
2) I need to increase the strength of my quads, hamstrings, and calves are no big deal but why not
3) Not a huge deal but while at it, and not trying to sound like a dork but also my glutes.

I am around 5'8 or 5'9, weigh 160. I can bench 2 sets, rep 8 @ (175) then move to 2 sets, rep 7 @ (185) and then finish with one set of 4-5 reps @ (195)

Incline I am at 4 sets and 8 reps of 160
Decline I am at 3 sets of 8 reps of 165

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Just wanted to share basics,

I want to build lower body, I need help on a vest and advice on it. Would running in one be most beneficial to decrease the time I need to get under a 7m mile?

Also, how about just hiking with a heavy vest? + A heavy backpack. Would that build up my quads, hamstrings, calves? I am looking at these "X-Vests" but I am not shelling out $150+ as a college student, I am thinking something cheaper and packing it with heavy rocks unless anyone here can give me some tips, I would love them.

I really need quads and lower body workouts and gym equipment is not cutting it, in addition, id like to get outside. Basically, prepping for Afghanistan lower body.

Advice please?
Age 23, just turned.

[KBKB]

I want to build lower body, I need help on a vest and advice on it. Would running in one be most beneficial to decrease the time I need to get under a 7m mile?

I know from experience that doing interval workouts will improve your per mile pace. A 7 minute pace isn't very fast; it should be pretty easy to improve your time, especially at age 23. Basically, if you want to run faster, you have to train by running fast. Read up on interval workouts; it's an efficient way to get there.

There's nothing wrong with doing loaded carries though. Take a look at this article:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...loaded_carries

As for strengthening your quads, hamstrings, and glutes... are you doing squats and deadlifts? If not, you should be.